Overview & Reviews

If you're thinking about purchasing a vehicle rugged enough to finesse rocky trails, chances are, one make comes to mind: Jeep. This specialty automotive manufacturer has a long history of producing trucks and SUVs capable of off-highway adventures — so much so that the term jeep is used by many to refer to all SUVs, whether the vehicle in question is a true Jeep or not.

Jeep took root in WWII as the name of the now-iconic four-wheel-drive military vehicle produced by Willys-Overland and Ford for the U.S. Army. The name's origin is somewhat of a mystery; popular belief is that it morphed from "GP," or "general purpose," though others have suggested that it was a nickname derived from a character featured in the Popeye comic strip of the time.

The mid-1940s saw the introduction of the first civilian Jeep, the CJ-2A. It offered many features not available on military versions, such as a tailgate, an external fuel cap and a side-mounted spare tire, and was targeted mainly toward farmers and construction workers.

Civilian Jeeps caught on with the public, and by the 1950s, new models such as the CJ-3B and the CJ-5 had been introduced. The CJ-5 had the longest production run of any Jeep vehicle, continuing for 30 years after its introduction in the early '50s. The company changed owners during this decade as Willys-Overland was sold to Kaiser in 1953.

Jeep broke new ground in the 1960s with the debut of its Wagoneer. Geared toward active families, this early SUV was the first four-wheel-drive vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission. A new "Dauntless" V6 became available as an option on the CJ-5 and CJ-6 in 1965. This was the first time that a Jeep CJ could be equipped with a V6. Packing 155 horses, the engine's horsepower almost doubled that offered by the standard four-cylinder.

By the 1970s, Jeep had changed ownership yet again, with the purchase of Kaiser-Jeep by American Motors Corporation. New models like the CJ-7 and the Scrambler were rolled out. Additionally, the company unveiled some new technology with the introduction of the world's first automatic full-time four-wheel-drive system. Dubbed Quadra-Trac, it was available in the CJ-7 as well as in full-size Jeep trucks and wagons. During this decade, Jeep's fortunes soared as four-wheel-drive vehicles became increasingly popular with large sections of American buyers.

The 1980s saw the introduction of the Cherokee and Wrangler. The Cherokee was one of the first of the new breed of SUVs — high-riding midsize wagons that skyrocketed in popularity as the decade progressed. The Wrangler replaced the CJ series in 1987 and offered the raw functionality of the CJ along with more comfort features. That year also saw the purchase of American Motors by Chrysler, with the Jeep brand becoming part of Chrysler's Jeep/Eagle division. One of Jeep's most popular models, the Grand Cherokee, debuted for 1993. This handsome, midsize SUV offered considerably more comfort and luxury than the smaller Cherokee while still providing stout off-road capability.

Jeep fell under the umbrella of DaimlerChrysler after Chrysler and Daimler-Benz merged in 1998. This partnership resulted in a few new models, such as the Liberty and Compass, though none were able to attain great sales success. In 2007, Daimler sold the Chrysler Group to a private equity firm. It is now under control of Fiat.

More recently, the company has added a couple of enticing models to its lineup (including a four-door version of the Wrangler and the pavement-scorching Grand Cherokee SRT8) and made substantial performance and quality improvements under the hoods and within the cabins. As such, we expect Jeep will not only maintain a loyal group of customers but will also bring new fans into the fold.

User Reviews:

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  Jeep Unlimited: a step up in quality - 2005 Jeep Wrangler
  By jdf - March 3 - 10:00 am

  My 2000 Wrangler Sport was great, but this 2005 Unlimited is a quantum leap forward in build quality and comfort. The long wheelbase makes ride comfort really good. Almost bought a 2004 but could not do the 4 speed automatic tranny. I like to shift a manual in a Wrangler. So when 6 speed manual came in 2005 I bought as soon as I found what I wanted. Impact Orange color rocks...new gray soft top combo looks good. This is a daily driver for my wife and she loves it...course she drove the old Wrangler daily and liked it as well. First tank of fuel avg. 15.2 mpg. Not bad for this size SUV. Buy the manual tranny its the way to go.

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  Just Bought This week - 2005 Jeep Liberty
  By DJK - March 3 - 10:00 am

  I just bought my Jeep Liberty. This is my first SUV ever. I have wanted an SUV for a while and decided I really wanted a Liberty Renegade. I received a great deal with great financing, and the 1,000 customer cash back. My total with taxes and the incentive was 27,784.66. This has to be better than my Volvo was.

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  EXCELLENT - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By LAG47LG - March 3 - 10:00 am

  ALWAYS OWNED A JEEP (EVEN BEFORE GRAND CHEROKEE) AND THIS IS THE BEST

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  Not a bad first vehicle but still on the fence... - 2010 Jeep Patriot
  By nick_b - March 3 - 4:43 am

  I purchased the 2.0 lt automatic with CVT and had similar complaints when driving a slow speeds. The transmission does seem to kick when decelerating and re-accelerating around 10-15 MPH. Also, I have less than 10k on it and occasionally have a hesitation when trying to start it up. Cold days around 30-40 degrees seem worst and when parked on any type of hill... The stereo is awesome for the money and the aux input is great to have. Would have appreciated another power outlet but one is alright. Rear suspension is beginning to squeak. The controls for temp are cheap dont always seem to get in the right spot for the setting. For the money, not a bad SUV but feels cheap.

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  SO DISAPPOINTED - 2008 Jeep Wrangler
  By sbunker - March 3 - 12:15 am

  So after my divorce, I really needed something that was rugged enough for me to take camping, pull my dirt bike trailer with dirt bike, but still be a fun car. I feel like such a fool for having picked this jeep. My brakes were toast before 25,000 - oil was ridiculous... always always low, I have done more oil changes-no leaks-Right rear caliper sheered off, thunking down the road... Unbelievable quality issues, leaks almost from day one, have had it in the shop they replaced the foam, still leaks. Now I take it in, will not honor Lifetime warranty. I was off on the inspection that was on this piece of paper. Not in the warranty manual.Call Chrysler-no assist. Sucks would never own again

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  good suv - 2011 Jeep Liberty
  By robert c - March 2 - 7:19 pm

  i have owned this liberty for about 3 years bought it used with about 37000 miles on it . live in a snow belt area so we get dumped on really good . never got stuck at all . it holds the road like you would not believe . has the power to get around people on the hiway . would really not say it floats down the road for a smooth ride but it is better than some . mpg isn’t to bad . maintance is low . just keep on the basic maintance and this will last a very long time

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  Nothing but problems - 2003 Jeep Liberty
  By Diane - March 2 - 2:10 pm

  Bought our Liberty new in 2003. After 2006, it has been nothing but maintenance problems. Issues with windows, door locks, blower motor, A/C compressor, Drive shaft. I could go on! This is only city and highway driving. I simply laugh when I see the TV commercials with a Jeep Liberty off road. Good luck with that! Cant wait to get rid of it.

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  Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 - 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By Jacques Guertin - March 2 - 6:56 am

  In spite of a few reliability issues (e.g., occasional erratic A/C and occasional erratic power), this car is built like a tank and accelerates 0 to 60 in about 4.8 s! For a 5,000 lb SUV for less than $50k, this is fantastic. It also handles well and is less prone to roll over than many other SUVs. And, it looks good too. I would not hesitate buying another.

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  The Worst Theyre Made Of - 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
  By ashenmorality - March 1 - 3:37 am

  Well I had written a long review, but it didnt post because of Edmunds glitch. In short, transmission not smooth: jerks. Air suspension message error when not using it and not hot outside. Uconnect issues. Key Fob liftgate problems. Remote Start HVAC problems. Leather seats and dash prematurely cracking. Uconnect a joke compared to other systems: no convenience features such as Pandora, iheart radio, etc. Voice dictation laggy. Yelp search is a joke.

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  I think I bought a lemon - 2008 Jeep Commander
  By firecracker - March 1 - 12:33 am

  I have had all kinds of electrical problems with this car, since I purchased it. The dealership was not very helpful. The locks locked while I stepped out of the car, and the car was running. They lock and unlock as I am driving. Auto wipers dont work that great, and neither does the reverse assistance. The Sirius equipment was faulty. The angle of the windshield, makes it very prone to getting hit by road debris--I replaced two windshields within six months. The breaks had to be replaced within the year, and six months later, need it again. I have never had so many problems with a car. The problems returned about six months after repair. No leg room in the middle seat area.